Introduction

Condimentar means “to season”, and this page covers exactly one thing: condimentar in the present tense. The present is the tense Spanish speakers reach for when they talk about what happens regularly and what is happening now. On this page you will find the full present table for condimentar, how the tense is formed for this verb, the situations where it is used, how it differs from the preterite, worked examples, the mistakes learners make most often, an eight-question quiz with explained answers, and answers to the questions students ask about condimentar in the present. Condimentar in the present describes a habit, a fact or something happening right now. For example: “Yo condimento la carne” — "I season the meat". Everything on this page uses the forms of condimentar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Condimentar in the Present Tense — full table

Person Form
yo condimento
tú condimentas
él/ella/Ud. condimenta
nosotros/as condimentamos
vosotros/as condimentáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. condimentan

Gerund: condimentando · Past participle: condimentado

The gerund is condimentando, which you use with estar to say what is happening right now: “Estoy condimentando” means the action of condimentar is in progress at this very moment. The past participle is condimentado, which you use with haber in the perfect tenses: “he condimentado” is the present perfect, used for a completed action. Keep both forms in mind as you read the examples below, because the present is only one part of how condimentar is used.

How the present of condimentar is formed

Condimentar is a regular -ar verb in the present. Take the stem condiment and add the present endings for -ar verbs: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an, giving condimento, condimentas, condimenta, condimentamos, condimentáis, condimentan. Watch the accents: the vosotros form, condimentáis, carries an accent on the á, é or í. The present of condimentar is fully regular, but two details deserve attention. First, the accents: the vosotros form condimentáis carries a written accent. Second, the yo form condimento is the form the present subjunctive is built from, so learn it well — it unlocks the subjunctive too.

When to use the present of condimentar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use condimentar in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.

1. Routines and habits

The present is the tense of what you do regularly. When something happens todos los días, cada semana or los fines de semana, condimentar goes in the present. Example: “Yo condimento con especias” — "I season with spices".

2. General facts

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about condimentar does not need a time word at all. Example: “Él condimenta el guiso” — "He seasons the stew".

3. What is happening now

The present also covers what is happening at this very moment. Spanish often uses the simple present where English would use the -ing form, so condimento can mean both "I season" and "I am seasoning". Example: “Yo condimento la carne” — "I season the meat".

4. Timetables and fixed plans

For a fixed plan or a timetable, Spanish uses the present: the plan is already decided, so the present states it as a fact. This is common with travel, lessons and appointments. Example: “Nosotros condimentamos con especias” — "We season with spices".

5. Telling a story

Stories are sometimes told in the present to make them feel immediate, even when they happened in the past. This is the historical present, and it works with condimentar just as it does with any other verb. Example: “Él condimenta el guiso” — "He seasons the stew".

Present Tense vs Preterite: how to choose

The closest tense to the present is the preterite, and choosing between them is one of the first decisions in Spanish. The rule is simple: the present reports what happens regularly or what is happening now, while the preterite reports one finished action in the past. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is whether the action is a habit or a finished event. Time words help: todos los días and cada semana point to the present, while ayer and la semana pasada point to the preterite.

  • Present Tense: “Yo condimento la carne” — "I season the meat".

  • Preterite: “Yo condimenté la carne” — "I seasoned the meat".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Él condimenta con especias” — "He seasons with spices".

  • Preterite: “Él condimentó con especias” — "He seasoned with spices".

  • The present sentence describes a habit or something happening now; the preterite sentence reports one finished action in the past. That difference — routine versus finished event — is the whole decision.

  • Present Tense: “Nosotros condimentamos el guiso” — "We season the stew".

  • Preterite: “Nosotros condimentamos el guiso” — "We seasoned the stew".

  • The two sentences look identical: condimentamos is the same in the present and the preterite. Only the time words around it tell you which tense is meant.

Example sentences: condimentar in the present

Read these eight sentences out loud. They cover all six persons, so by the end you will have seen every form in the table used in a real sentence. Pay attention to the words around the verb — the time expressions, the objects, the other verbs — because those are what make each sentence sound natural.

  1. “Yo condimento con especias” — "I season with spices"

  2. “Tú condimentas el guiso” — "You season the stew"

  3. “Él condimenta la carne” — "He seasons the meat"

  4. “Nosotros condimentamos con especias” — "We season with spices"

  5. “Vosotros condimentáis el guiso” — "You season the stew"

  6. “Ellos condimentan la carne” — "They season the meat"

  7. “Yo condimento con especias” — "I season with spices"

  8. “Él condimenta el guiso” — "He seasons the stew"

Common mistakes with condimentar in the present

These are the errors learners actually make with this verb in this tense. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.

  • Wrong: “Ellos condimenta la carne” Right: “Ellos condimentan la carne” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form condimentan. The singular condimenta belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

  • Wrong: “Todos los días, yo condimenté” Right: “Todos los días, yo condimento” Why: Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. The preterite (condimenté) is for one finished action, not for routines.

  • Wrong: “Yo condimenta la carne.” Right: “Yo condimento la carne” Why: Yo needs the yo form condimento. The él form condimenta belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

  • Wrong: “Ayer, yo condimento” Right: “Ayer, yo condimenté” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to condimenté.

Quiz: condimentar in the present

Choose the correct answer for each question, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained, so a wrong answer still teaches you something.

1. Complete the sentence: “Yo ___ el guiso.” (yo form)

A. condimenta B. condimento C. condimentas D. condimentan

2. Complete the sentence: “Tú ___ la carne.” (tú form)

A. condimentas B. condimenta C. condimentan D. condimento

3. Complete the sentence: “Él ___ con especias.” (él/ella/Ud. form)

A. condimentas B. condimentamos C. condimentan D. condimenta

4. Complete the sentence: “Nosotros ___ el guiso.” (nosotros/as form)

A. condimenta B. condimento C. condimentamos D. condimentas

5. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ___ la carne.” (vosotros/as form)

A. condimentáis B. condimentan C. condimento D. condimentamos

6. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ___ con especias.” (ellos/ellas/Uds. form)

A. condimentan B. condimentáis C. condimentas D. condimento

7. Which time expression points to the present tense?

A. todos los días B. ayer C. la semana pasada D. anoche

8. Which sentence is correct?

A. Todos los días, yo condimento B. Todos los días, yo condimenté

Answer key

  1. condimento — The yo present of condimentar is condimento.
  2. condimentas — The tú present of condimentar is condimentas.
  3. condimenta — The él/ella/Ud. present of condimentar is condimenta.
  4. condimentamos — The nosotros/as present of condimentar is condimentamos.
  5. condimentáis — The vosotros/as present of condimentar is condimentáis.
  6. condimentan — The ellos/ellas/Uds. present of condimentar is condimentan.
  7. todos los días — Todos los días describes a habit, so the present is right. Ayer, la semana pasada and anoche all point to the preterite.
  8. Todos los días, yo condimento — Todos los días is a habit, so the present is correct. The preterite is for one finished action.

Frequently asked questions

When do I use the present of condimentar?

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening now. For example: Yo condimento la carne. If the action is a habit or happening now, the present is the right choice.

How is the present of condimentar formed?

Take the stem condiment- and add the present endings for -ar verbs (-o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an), giving condimento, condimentas, condimenta, condimentamos, condimentáis, condimentan.

What is the difference between the present and the preterite for condimentar?

The present (condimento) describes a habit or something happening now, while the preterite (condimenté) counts one finished action in the past. Compare the two sentences in the contrast section above: the verb is the same, only the tense changes.

How can I practise condimentar in the present?

Say the six forms out loud — condimento, condimentas, condimenta, condimentamos, condimentáis, condimentan — then use them in the example sentences above, changing the person each time. Then try the condimentar examples and quiz page, and the full conjugation of condimentar when you want to compare the present with the other tenses.

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